Fighting fat with the Arosha-Pressotherapy treatment at Emirates Palace Spa

The main goal of the Arosha skin wrap combined with Pressotherapy is to reduce the appea­rance of that bane of female existence: cellulite. Although the recommendation is a course of eight, hour-long sessions, for this test run at Emirates Palace Spa, I opted for four. And it took me nearly all of them to wrap […]

The main goal of the Arosha skin wrap combined with Pressotherapy is to reduce the appea­rance of that bane of female existence: cellulite.

Although the recommendation is a course of eight, hour-long sessions, for this test run at Emirates Palace Spa, I opted for four.

And it took me nearly all of them to wrap my head around this strange treatment. Each time, I started out on a spa bed while my therapist sprayed and smoothed a glycolic-acid serum containing fishy-smelling seaweed all over my legs, back, tummy and arms. The goal was to exfoliate, allowing subsequent products to penetrate better.

She followed up with a serum containing a tightening combination of caffeine and L-Carnitine, a nutrient produced in the body that is increasingly being used in creams and supplements to target cellulite, with varying opinions on the results.

I then stood up, feet apart, while she wrapped me in what looked like a wet tensor bandage, starting under my foot, encasing each leg and winding around my abdomen.

It was then time for the Press­otherapy portion, which involved me crawling onto the bed, where Cassandra had laid out three black, Kevlar-type cases, each topped by a plastic sheet. One of the cases was long and rectangular, and wrapped around my abdomen. The other two were for my legs, and zipped up neatly from toe to thigh top, sort of reminding me of a snug pair of Canadian snow pants.

The cases, which were connected by cables to the Pressotherapy machine on the floor, intermittently filled with air, creating a hugging sensation from my rib cage on down. It was tight, but not too tight. This form of lymphatic drainage went on for about 30 minutes, during which Cassandra gave me a lovely head massage, and we either chatted or I briefly fell asleep.

After it was over, she removed me from my cocoons, cutting off the plastic and wrap. Then I got back on the bed while she massaged in Arosha Carinitina Cel body cellulite cream, which contains more L-Carnitine.

Arosha combined with Press­otherapy is one of three fat and cellulite-fighting treatments offered at the spa: the others are CoolMax, which is localised cryo­therapy involving a hand-held wand that freezes fat under the surface of the skin. Then there is 3-Max ultrasound, radio-­frequency and vacuum technology to reduce fat cells, tighten loose skin and increase circulation, promising to improve the appearance of the skin.

The Arosha/Pressotherapy combination is a bit silly, and I’m certainly glad no one could see me doing it. However, it was detoxing, reduced water retention and felt very relaxing. Cassandra said people often get it after long flights. Each time I left feeling lighter, too. There is no need to shower after, although my legs felt a bit of a prickly sensation until I did.

I have also been exercising and eating right for weeks now – something Cassandra recommends as an accompaniment to the treatment. So while the Arosha plus Pressotherapy treatments augmented that work, lasting change, as we all know, doesn’t come easy.

I also bought a tube of the Arosha Carinitina Cel cream for Dh390, after researching it and liking the comments online. Post-treatment, I squint every morning as I apply it to my belly, upper arms and legs, usually concluding that it’s working. Is that me justifying the enormous expense? Possibly. My skin definitely looks smoother. I think.